by St. Symeon the New Theologian “My brethren, it is not possible for these things [virtues] to come about in one day or one week! They will take much time, labor, and pain, in accordance with each man’s attitude and willingness, according to the measure of faith and one’s contempt for the objects of sight […]

A monk went to his master in the morning, sad after a long night he had spent in meditation counting the virtues of one of his fellow monks. He said to his master, “Father, I have wasted the night in vain-sitting the whole night and counting the virtues of brother so and so, and found […]